Newcomers win Swain County Commission seats
Swain County has elected two political newcomers to its board of commissioners.
Republican Tanner Lawson, a local youth pastor, led the way with 29.51% of the vote, and unaffiliated candidate Bobby Jenkins, a former county employee who worked in the buildings department, had 26.16%. Republican incumbent Kenneth Parton ended up with 25.99% of the vote, which puts him within the margin to call for a recount. Unaffiliated candidate and current Mayor Pro Tem of Bryson City Ben King ended up with 18.34%.
Jenkins and Lawson are set to join Commission Chair Kevin Seagle, Vice Chair Roger Parsons and Republican Commissioner David Loftis.
All results are considered unofficial until county boards of elections certify their races on Nov. 15